Can High Tech Lay You Low?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Microsoft Image Creator

I've always said that technology is a two-edged sword.  In some ways it makes life a lot easier.  The problem is, that same technology can cause you a lot of trouble when it doesn't work, or when someone uses it to do things that aren't in your best interest.  To help you stay ahead of the high-tech curve, I've come up with a list of ten things you need to be aware of when it comes to technology.

#1: Do you own it or does it own you? - You may think that your blog, your social posts, your video uploads, or your personal email are yours and yours alone, but you'd be wrong.  That user agreement you clicked when you accessed any social site, email service, blog or video portal makes it clear that anything posted is the property of management.  This may result in your posts being collected, analyzed, censored, removed, or your use of the portal being suspended or revoked.  More importantly, unless you specifically deny the portal the use of any material posted, it can be mined or used at the discretion of management.  (While there are laws in place in Europe that prohibit the unauthorized mining and exploiting of user data, the US has no such law at present.)

#2: Your data can be used against you in a court of law. - That's right, Big Brother isn't just watching you, he's increasingly using the information gleaned from the Internet to profile, harass, or even prosecute citizens.  Much of the intelligence used by law enforcement agencies these days is acquired from third party companies who are not averse to predicting behavior or assigning threat assessments if so requested.  It isn't at all unusual nowadays for lawyers to use online search data, social posts or even in some cases phone data to prosecute defendants.

#3: Big business buys and sells your data every day. - Retailers want to know what and how often you buy products.  Financial service companies want to know all about your spending habits, payment behavior, interests, and personality to determine how creditworthy you are.  Auto manufacturers collect and sell data about driving habits that's gathered and transmitted by late model vehicles. In short, every business you do business with both collects and pays to find out everything about you.

Image courtesy Microsoft Image Creator

#4: Politicians use big data to find, target, and manipulate voters. - Campaign analysts develop computer models to predict voter behavior.  This data is then used to identify favorable and undecided voters in order to send them ads and other content likely to sway their vote.  Like big businesses, political campaigns know a great deal about voters habits, where they shop, what they read and watch, as well as what motivates them to either mobilize or anger them.

#5: Employers can use technology to keep tabs on their employees. - Not only do some firms track employee movements, some track every keystroke entered on company computers.  Keylogger software can reveal not only an employees websurfing habits, it can compromise everything from personal email and social media posts to passwords, and financial information.  Embedded webcams can spy on employees work habits, attentiveness, and even how often they take breaks.  

#6: Hackers and cybercriminals can use the Internet to disrupt your life or steal your money. - They can take control of your devices and steal your financial and personal data.  They have been known to surreptitiously use a victim's webcam to take salacious photos and video which they can use to harass or shake down individuals.  Once inside your device, they can find out who your friends are and send them weaponized emails and texts, or they can infect it with ransomware before demanding you pay up or else.

#7: Cyberstalkers and cyber bullies routinely use information found on social sites to track and harass individuals. Some of these predators are known to troll dating sites and use catfishing to disguise their true identities.  If their advances are spurned, it isn't unusual for them to threaten to distribute sexually explicit content about their victims, even if the content is manufactured by the stalker himself.  While you may believe that an online relationship got started innocently enough, don't be surprised if any image that you click on contains hidden malware designed to allow a Cyberstalkers to gain total control of your device.

#8: Smartdevices can be weaponized. - Virtual assistants, Smart locks, wireless security cameras, and other IoT devices can be hacked only to be turned against their owners.  What most people don't realize is that many Smartdevices not only listen in on us, they come equipped with sensors that allow them to sense or even see what's going on around them.  Some are even able to connect to wireless networks in order to collect data or communicate with other wireless devices in your home or business.  Once compromised, any wireless device can be used to spy on its owner.

Image courtesy Microsoft Image Creator

#9: Some technology is programmed to become addictive. - Like it or not, everything from social nets and shopping sites to online games and video portals are programmed to keep your eyes glued to the screen.  When you consider that the average person spends nearly 2 1/2 hours on social sites every day, is it any wonder that technology addiction is increasingly drawing criticism, even from those who work in the tech sector?  Don't believe you can get hooked on tech?  How much time do you spend with your eyes glued to your smartphone everyday?  

#10: Can technology cause you physical harm? - Absolutely.  If you've ever had to deal with carpal tunnel syndrome, or had someone comment on your poor posture, odds are it was caused by spending too much time huddled over a laptop or smartphone.  Intensive device usage can also cause eyestrain and blurred vision which may lead to what's referred to by the American Optometric Association as computer vision syndrome.  Some cases of insomnia can be attributed to the use of computers, since their screens are known to emit blue light that can interfere with the body's internal clock.  Last but not least, if you look at your smartphone while walking, you're more prone to trip and fall accidents.

Catherine Powell is the owner of A Plus All Florida, Insurance in Orange Park, Florida.  To find out more ways to save on flood insurance, check out her website at http://aplusallfloridainsuranceinc.com/